Preservation v/s Reconstruction
(Part 1)

EAST FORT GATE PROJECT
Chapman's Peak Drive Tourism Development

Can the Blockhouse be reconstructed?
Conservation, restoration and reconstruction are emotive words to heritage practitioners and need to be carefully selected according to circumstances. Only with convincing evidence can reconstruction be undertaken but there are also other factors that must be considered. However, if we are not to lose part of our valuable heritage it is as well to understand that 'Conservation must pay' and whether we are talking about our Built or Natural environment, our historic sites and magnificent scenery will always be exposed to risk unless it can be proved to be economically viable to preserve them.  
To save Hout Bay's Forts, we must preserve them in such a way that they will be maintained and sustained in perpetuity by means of a solid business plan.

(Above)  East Fort Blockhouse as it stands today.

There are many arguments for and against preservation v/s reconstruction. The above example is that of the Posthuis (above) at Muizenberg, the oldest building in the country.

The Muizenberg Historical Society with the help of donors successfully motivated the reconstruction of the building which is now a fascinating museum and tourism attraction.

Queens Blockhouse (above right) below Tafelberg Rd. The latter is in ruins but further decay seems  to have been arrested. There is little doubt that its reconstruction would be questionable.

Simonstown's dockyard Martello Tower  (left) was modelled on the original tower at Cape Martello in Corsica which defied a formidable and sustained British naval attack with a handful of men. Also built by General James Craig, it suffered the ravages of time and eventually was on the point of collapse. It was virtually razsed to the ground and rebuilt by the Navy.
Until a few years ago it was a very interesting museum  run by the Navy, but today although the fabric of the building is still very good, it is no longer in use. However, its location on Defence Dept property makes for difficult public access.
These buildings are contemporary possible precedents which may determine how East Fort will be treated.

A very recent development is that of the V&A Waterfront 's Chavonne Battery (right) built by the VOC in 1715 to defend the southern approaches to Table Bay. The site was totally covered by subsequent buildings constructed in the docks over the years. However, the redevelopment of the site by The Board of Executors has given our city the opportunity to recover part of our heritage and to give  residents and visitors a glimpse of what the fort once looked like. The need to develop the site commercially and to combine it with other attractions has meant that total reconstruction of the battery was out of the question, but sensitive partial reconstruction has been done to great effect and there is no doubt that there will be a resurgence in military history interest as a result.

(Above left and Right) Narrow red lines show the demarcation between the old original and reconstructed walls, skillfully built to the archaeologists and architects specifications.